Abraham Lincoln on Tolerance

This week, I am reflecting on quotes of our 16^th President, Abraham Lincoln.  Tuesday, I noted his request that “The band play Dixie”.  Saturday, I’ll post excerpts from his second inaugural address.  

Today, we’ll look at some of Lincoln’s other quotes that touch upon the issue of tolerance.[1]   

As all people do, Lincoln held seemingly contradictory opinions.  He railed against the injustice of slavery[2] but also said he would accept it, if that would preserve the Union.[3]

Lincoln also stated that, even though the Negro race may be inferior, they still have the right to Liberty:

"I hold that … there is no reason in the world why the negro is not entitled to all the natural rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I hold that he is as much entitled to these as the white man. I agree with Judge Douglas he is not my equal in many respects …. But in the right to eat the bread, without leave of anybody else, which his own hand earns, he is my equal and the equal of Judge Douglas, and the equal of every living man.”[4]

The last quote I’ll consider was one against the Know-Nothings.  This was a political party in the 1840’s and 50’s who were anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic.  Members were instructed that, whenever they were asked about their Nativist organization, they were to respond, “I know nothing.’”  Hence, the party name. 

"How can anyone who abhors the oppression of Negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except Negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty - to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure and without the base alloy of hypocrisy." [5]

”Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid.”  True today as well?  Worth pondering….

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[1] Note:  All references in this post were found at http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln78.html

[2] The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Letter To Henry L. Pierce and Others" (April 6, 1859), p. 376.

[3] The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume V, "Letter to Horace Greeley" (August 22, 1862), p. 388.

[4] The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "First Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Ottawa, Illinois" (August 21, 1858), p. 16.

[5] The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume II, "Letter to Joshua F. Speed" (August 24, 1855), p. 323.